Mop and wringing bucket combination

ABSTRACT

A MOP OF THE SPONGE-TYPE MATERIAL AND A BUCKET PROVIDED WITH A SQUEEZE PLATE FOR SQUEEZING THE MOP. THE MOP AND SQUEEZE PLATE HAVE A COOPERATING HOOK-TYPE COUPLING ABOUT WHICH THE MOP CAN BE PIVOTED TO SQUEEZE IT AGAINST THE PRESSURE PLATE BY SWINGING THE HANDLE ON THE MOP IN AN ARCUATE PATH.

Feb. 16, 1971 G. E. ROYALTY MOP AND WRINGING BUCKET COMBINATION,

Filed Dec. 20, 1968 INVENTOR GALEN E. R YA TY v ZZZ AGENT Feb. 16,1971 G. E. ROYALTY MOP AND WRINGING BUCKET COMBINATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 73 Filed Dec. 20, 1968 INVENTOR v GALEN E. ROYALTY BYMNQ'Q Aeeu'r United States Patent 3,562,841 MOP AND WRINGING BUCKET COMBINATION Galen E. Royalty, 1222 Cresthaven Drive, Silver Spring, Md. 20903 Filed Dec. 20, 1968, Ser. No. 785,287 Int. Cl. A471 13/58 U.S. Cl. 15-260 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mop of the sponge-type material and a bucket provided with a squeeze plate for squeezing the mop. The mop and squeeze plate have a cooperating hook-type coupling about which the mop can be pivoted to squeeze it against the pressure plate by swinging the handle on the mop in an arcuate path.

The present invention generally relates to combined bucket and mop assembly which includes features which enable dirty water squeezed from the mop to be retained in a separate compartment from the clean water or a filter is provided for the dirty Water if a single compartment bucket is employed.

An object of this invention is to confine the size of the two buckets into approximately the same size as a single bucket without sacrificing the volume of water that can be used, and provide a handle for same which will allow the bucket to balance properly when carried and not spill water regardless of which bucket the water is in or how it is distributed.

Another object of the invention is to provide two buckets, either of which may be emptied or filled separately, thereby conserving the clean water and cleansing agent if it is desired to empty the dirty water.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive means of filtering the water, such as a folded terry cloth or other suitable material if a single bucket is to be used.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pressure plate against which the sponge is compressed by use of a camming bead on the plate and a curved lever member on the mop handle.

A still further object is toprovide a means by which the pressure plate can "be held firmly at the top of the bucket and extend outwardly and upwardly at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, be rigid enough to withstand the high pressure exerted when the sponge is wrung out by the movement of the mop handle and be easily releasable by the pressure of the thumb when it is desired to lift the bucket handle, so that it will not extend beyond the side of the bucket when it is being carried. This is accomplished by providing an interlocking lip and flange or tongue and groove at the bottom of the pressure plate and the top of one edge of the bucket which will hold the pressure plate in its proper working position. The top of the pressure plate is held in position by the bucket handle itself when the lip at the bottom of the pressure plate is inserted into the groove at the top of the bucket. The bucket handle is one piece and extends through the camming bead at the upper portion of the pressure plate which hinges thereon. This of course will add strength to the camming bead and the camming bead in turn will add strength 3,562,841 Patented Feb. 16, 1971 inafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of my master bucket with the inner bucket in place, the pressure plate in its working position with the lower lip inserted into the groove of the upper rim of the master bucket, and the bucket handle holding the pressure plate in its proper position.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the master bucket with the pressure plate disengaged and the handle upright in a carrying position.

FIG. 3 is an end view and shows the pressure plate and inner bucket in position and the relationship of inner bucket, and filter to the master bucket.

FIG. 4 is a cutaway view and shows the hinge action of the pressure plate on the bucket handle and the lower lip of pressure plate.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the plate and handle.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an insert for the bucket.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the filter and filter holder.

FIG. 8 is an end view of the various components of the mop head and squeegee.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the mop head, pressure plate and filter in working position.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the mop handle as it is attached to the mop head.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the master bucket 1 receives an inner tray or bucket 2 for clean water or cleansing agent. A pressure plate 3 is swingably supported from bucket 1 by a bucket handle or bail 4. The bucket 1 has an inclined groove 5 receiving a projecting lip 8 on the lower end of the pressure plate 3. The upper edge of the pressure plate 3 includes a reversely bent camming bead 6 which receives the handle 4 with the ends of the plate 3 having upturned ends 7.

Disposed in bucket 1 is a filter holder 9 receiving a filter pad 10 which may be folded terry cloth or the like. Dirty water drained from the pressure plate 3 will be filtered through the filter material back into bucket 1.

A mop head 11 of tubular construction receives a handle 11a and has the lower portion split into a front portion 13 and a rear upturned hook portion 12. A sponge mounting plate 14 is attached to the head 11 by suitable fasteners and the front edge of the plate 14 has a forwardly opening groove 15- receiving a squeegee blade 16 therein. Also a block of sponge material 17 is mounted on plate 14 in any suitable manner.

A bearing plate 18 is mounted on the upper surface of portion 12 of the mop head to engage the camming bead 6 when squeezing the mop in the manner illustrated in FIG. 9.

A separate container 19 of rubber or the like may be employed in the bucket 1 to receive dirty water in lieu of the filter holder.

This invention allows for the use of a much wider and larger mop head, 12" to 14" or even larger that can be wrung out with ease due to the high leverage exerted by the mop handle.

It is not necessary to remove the filter holder to use the inner bucket; in fact it should be left in as it will hold the inner bucket away from the pressure plate and mop head if it should become empty enough to fioat. The bottom area of the master bucket is greater than that of the inner bucket so the water level will not rise in proportion to the amount that is emptied from the inner bucket, plus the fact that not as much water is recovered from the fioor as is used.

Both buckets are designed to taper inwardly from the top so they can be nested for shipment in quantities if desired and also the master bucket handle along with the pressure plate can easily be disengaged from the ears of the bucket; the pressure plate inserted between the rear of the bucket and the inner bucket and the mop head placed in the inner bucket making it quite compact if individual boxing is desired.

The mop itself is comprised of 'a handle with a. tubular end that is split in unequal proportions at the bottom end and progressing upwards towards the center of the tube for about 3" at which point the split should be centered. The smaller member of the split tube is flattened at the bottom end and bent outwardly from the handle at an obtuse angle. The lower portion of the larger member is flattened and bent in a curved manner to an acute angle, first to correspond to the plane of the smaller flattened member, or approximately 45 degrees to the mop handle, and thence upwardly to a nearly parallel plane with the handle itself. This upwardly bent member engages the camming bead on the pressure plate as illustrated in FIG. 9. Appropriate holes are punched in the members to correspond to the holes in the mop head and receive the screws. I

The sponge head itself is comprised of one piece of metal so formed as to holdboth a rubber squeegee at the proper angle to the mop handle and the sponge block itself. I I

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. (a) A deep and elongated mop bucket with an integral groove along the entire top edge of one side, so formed as to receive the lower lip of a separately formed pressure plate that swings on the bucket handle and works in conjunction therewith,

(b) said elongated edge being at 90 degree angles with the ends of the corners square, the opposing elongated side having rounded corners at the top to conform to the rounded corners of a plastic inner bucket which nestles thereon and is held in place by its overhanging nm,

(e) ears on the bucket so placed as to receive the handle and balance properly,

(d) a handle for said bucket with a pressure plate which hinges thereon, said handle enabling the user to carry the bucket, said handle serving to hold the pressure plate at the proper angle when it is in its Working position, serving to withstand the pressure exerted by a user when a mop head is being squeezed, and reenforces a camming bead on the pressure plate.

2. A pressure plate as set forth in claim 1 that works in conjunction with a mop bucket and mop bucket handle said pressure plate comprising an elongated metal 'plate with a lip at the bottom designed to enter a groove on the bucket, each end of said plate being turned upwardly at right angles to the pressing portion of the plate to strengthen the plate and keep the water from running off the sides, a top member of the pressure plate being bent first at right angles to the pressing portion then another right angle which will then parallel the pressing portion and overly the same thence reversely bent and adapted to be wrapped around the bucket handle which forms the camming bead thereby providing a recess at the top of the pressure plate within which a camming lever of the mop can operate, providing a better grip for the fingers when carrying, and strengthening the top cross section of the bucket handle, the pressure plate being of a size both vertically and horizontally to accommodate the sponge block to be used in the size desired.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,664,584 1/1954 Twerdahl 15260 DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R. 15-121, 264 

